Pipe tong



Sept- 1 9 A. E. HAMBLY 2,329,196

PIPE TONG Filed July 15, 1940 I LJJZA/ EL. MBL j v V v 4 INVENTOR yATTORN EY a Patented Sept. 14, 1943 "11,529,196 PIPE Tene l Allen: E.Hambl-y, Montebello, Cali fa, assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Vernon,Calif a corporation of Delaware Application July'15','1940, Serial No;345,574 I Thisinvention' relates generally; to pipe tongs,

and particularly to tongssuch asareused making 'up'or breakingoutjointsin drill pipe, I

well casing, or welltiibing'.

Pip'e' tongs of the; aforementioned type are usually suspended-inthewell derrick in position tobe swung, laterally onto the pipe andlatched about the pipe joint, In" order to possess the necessarystrength, such tongs' are unusually heavy andfl thei'r'repeatedmanipulation while making up or breaking outthe' joints in astring of pipe involves considerable manual effort. ,In addition to themanna-1 effort involved, the time; consumed in" applying? thetong tothepipe is alsoan' important factor, inasmuch as it is mul- V tipliedby' the number of jointstobe made up a or broken out. For theabovereasons, the ease with which the tong may be applied to and removedfrom, the pipe is as important av factor in the success of the tong asisits ability to proper- 1y grip the pipe:

geous, features and involving a minimum number.

' of parts, thereby simplifying:- the construction o and reducingthe'manufacturing cost;

in one I fer'enti'sizeso'f pipe; and

Closely associated withthe'easeof manipulation of'the tong is theproblem of balance.

order to maintain the tong'is properly balanced condition while suspendedat asiiigle point from" .awi're line, as is customary fit isessential that the center of gravity of the 'suspendedmassbe, asnearly'as possible, dire'ctly below the point: oi suspension. It -is'impossible-to maintain the center of gravity ,directlybelow thesuspension point atall times because, of 'therelative movement betweenthe tongjaws when opening. and

closing them about the pipe. It is possible, however, to 'maintainjanapproximatdy balanced 1 1 condition by so constructing the tongthatthe; shifting of the center of gravity resulting from opening andclosing movements; of the jaws is reducedfto a practical minimum. V Inaddition to the foregoing Ieaturesfessential to the success of a we'llpipe tong 'it is also desirable that thetong be capable of accommodatingseveral differentsizes of. pipe, and that it properly grip all sizes ofpipe orpipe joints within'its range o adjustment.

A: generalobject of this a pipe tong which is capable of being appliedto a wide variety of sizes'oi" pipe, and which: easily applied to andremoved from the'pipe;

-A further object istoiprovidea pipe tong of the type adapted'to besuspended from a single point, and in which the shiftin'g of the centerof gravity-of the suspended mass during opening and closing movements ofthejaws is minimized A sw mmer object of the invention is'to' provide atongembodying the foregoing. advanta invention is to provide v Otherobjects and advantages willbe apparent from the: following detaileddescription of one embodiment"; of the invention, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing wherein:

- Fig.- l'is a plan'view'of 'a' tong'embodying the I invention;showing'the jaws in open positiorrto receive a pipe} Fig; 2 is a planview showing' th e tonglatched position to grip any one ofsev eral difFig.3 is a View similar 2" butshowing the tong latchedin anotherposition to gri'p'a as "the description proceeds, however, that theessential features are ,equally well adapted to being embodied in acasing tongor a tubing Referring to thedrawing, the tong comprisesgenerally a pair; of pipe-gripping: jaws lfland' Hpivotallyinterconnected atone end by apivotpin l2, the opposite end ofthe. jaw--I0-b'eing pivotally connected to alever-l 3asbya pivot pinI41. Formed onthe'free out'erend ofthe jaw ll are 'apluralityi ofstepped'latching surfacesoli and l6, whi-ch are adapted. to be.selectively engaged by an oppositely directed latching surface l'l fcrmed on a latch I81pivotally connected to o the jaw I0, As shown herein,the latch 1 .8 o. is

connected to the'jaw I!) by the pivot pin l4 which als connects'the jaw.to the lever l3, but this a is solely for'thepu'rpose of reducing thenumber of parts andfth'ej. munber of, machining operations. From afunctional standpointjthelatch I could as well'be connectedlto the jawill on a, separated pivot, For reasons set} forth below,

the es sential feature ofthis connection that the latch be pivotallyconnected to the jaw; Ill

- fo r pivotalmovefnent' relative thereto independf- 1 entlyof pivotalmovement of the level I3 rela-' tiv'eto thejaw'; .whenthe latchengagesonefoi thelatching surfaces I5'or It a closed" pipe recessis definedf'bythe two jaws l0 and l l and the latch I8 ,1the size ofllthe recess beingdetermine'd by whichjlatching' surface 15 orit is engagedby the latchl8.

It will be observed from a comparison of Figs. I

closing movement between the jaws about the Inasmuch as the reduction inthe size of any size of pipe between the minimum size 2I and the maximumsize 26'.

It will be understoodthat the range of take-up of the cam 25 is notlimited to that shown in the drawing, but, on the contrary, the cam maybe as long as desired. However, the practical limiting factor governingthe length of the cam and pivot pin I2, unaccompanied by'a correspondingpivotal closing movement between the jaw l0 and the latch I8, it followsthatfthe center P of the maximum size pipe which can be accommo-' datedin the smaller pipe opening, as indicated in Fig. 3, is located at agreater distance from the pivot pin !2 than is the center Prof thelargest size pipe receivable in the larger pipe= openingshown in Fig.2,The construction issuch that the centers P and P are as close; to a lineextending between the pivot pins I2 and I 4 a it is practical to disposethemg'thereby locating the center P of Fig. 3 closer to the pivot pin I4than is the center P. ofpFig. 2. j 'This is an important consideration,for reasons'which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In order to enable the tong to grip a wide range of sizes of pipe ineach of the'two latched p0sitions,;an adjustablepipe-engaging mean isprovided for gripping the pip'ecn the side thereof opposite the pivotpin I2, and'at varying distances-from the pivot pin- I4; In the presentinstance this means comprises a cam member formed integral with thelever" I3 and provided with a spiral cam surface so as to present awedging surface to the pipe at progressively increasing distances fromthe pivot I4 as the lever is swung-in the direction of the arrow in Fig.2 By forming the cam surface as a spiral, the wedge angle'between thecam and the surface of the pipe i constant, irrespective "of thelocation of the 'line of contact between the cam and the plpa I 7 largediameter pipe'indicated by the full line circle 26, and it will beobserved that the point of tangency between the 'pip e'and the cam isfadjacent theinner, small radius end of the cam.

When the le'veifis swung to the dotted line posi-.

the consequent range of takerup is the extent of angular movement of thelever about the pivot pin I4. It is not desirable'to' swing the leverthrough too great an angle, and that shown in the drawing is'consideredtobe a practical maximum. In this connection, it should be noted that bythe provision of a two-step latch and the resulting angular adjustmentofthe jaw III "and I I, the range of adjustment of the tong is twice thatobtainable by swinging the lever throughia given angle.

If rdesired the frictional engagement of the pipe by the jaws I!) and IIand the cam 25 may be relied on to prevent slipping 5' of the tonearound the pipe wh'ena pull is exerted on the lever. Howeven lf preferto provide positive gripping engagement of the ,pipe-iby at leastone ofthe pipe-engaging surfaces, and thereby preclude thepossibility:of thetong slipping around the pipe. In the illustrative embodiment I haveshown a .die mounted; in the jawJ I." Inasmuch as the different sizesofpipe engage the jaws :at, different spaced points'along their innersurfaces,

the die "30:is elongatedand iSPIOVidedwith a series of gripping teeth;The corresponding pipecontacting surfaceof the jawI0-;is indicated atReferring to Fig. 2, thelever and the cam are shown in'full' lines in aposition to engage a tion, the larger radius, end of'the camfprojectssubstantial distance into the pipe opening to engage a' re lativelysmall diameter pipe indicated I by thed-otted circle 2.5e, having itscenter at P It will be understood, of course, that any intermediate sizeof pipe between, thejtwo extreme, sizes 26 and, 25% will be gripped atan interme-' diate point onftlie cam.', In. a similar manner when;the1tong is latched on the second latching step as shown-in Fig 3., thelever may be moved into either extreme position to cause the cam 25 toengageteitherra, relatively large pipe. 21' or a small pipe Zia-or any.intermediate size.

The'tong is preferably designed'sothattherange of sizes of pipeaccommodated in the two latching positions overlap each other-or inother words, so that the largest size'' 'pip'ev 21, that can beaccommodatedin the latching position shown in Fig 3 is equalto orslightlylarger than the smallest size ZG capable of being gripped by thetong in the latching position showniin Fig.2;-

In this manner, the tong is capable of gripping 3|, and is shown asa-plane surface. It willbe understood, however, that thesurface 3] andthe points of theteeth of the die 30 may; if de sired, lie in-either-convex -or concave surfaces.-. It will also be understoodthat the die30 or other toothed gripping surfacemaybe-provided either. on the-jaw I0or on; the; oam- -Z5,; I O

any two or all three surfaces. I prefer to mount it on the jaw I I,however,- because in that case it is locatedin a protected position whenthe tong is open and hence is not subject to being struck andpossibly..damaged by forcible contact with the pipe wheniapplying thetong, to the pipe.

It will be observed that thetwo jaws andthe cam;,25 engage the pipe atthree substantially equidistantly spaced points, in order to evenelydistribute the pressure on thepipe and thus avoid the possibility ofcrushing it. 'It is "not possible to contact all .siz'es of pipeat threeexactly equidistantly spaced points, for two rea-- sons.' .First, as thecam 25 is rotated to contact progressivelysmaller sizes of pipe, thepoint of tangency shifts with respect tofia line through the center ofthe pipe and the axis of the pivot pin I2; and secondly, as the jaws I0and II are adjusted angularly with respect to eachother to shift thelatch from one of the steps I5 or Iii to the other, the angular relationbetween the pipe-contacting surfaces on the jaws changes. It isconsidered desirable that thisangle be as near,- ly 60 as possible,inorder to cause-the jaws to engage the pipe at pointswhicharespaced-apart 1 approximately 12 0? on the circumference of thep'ipe.'In the illustrated, embodiment th'eangle between the pipe-contactingsurfaces in the latchingrposition shown in Fig. 2 is slightly greaterthan 60, and in the latching position shown in Fig. 3 it is slightlyless than 60 As stated in theintroductory remarks, it is of paramountimportancethat. a drill pipe tong:

be capable of; being applied to and removed from the pipe witha minimumof manipulation, and

. that its balance be maintained both when the laws are opened and whenclosedabout'a pipe. To vth'i' end, suitable means are provided in theinstant 'case to limit the'relatives'angul ar movemerit between thepivotally connected elements cally close.- about the pipe when thelatter is I inserted in .the pipe opening betweenthe jaws.

- ders permit the latch to swinginwardlyslightly beyond the position itassumes when engaging the-second latching surface It ,on the jaw, .I I.

A stop it is provided onthejawloand engages the lever l3 to limit thecounterclockwise pivotal movement of the lever relative to thejaw. Asshown by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 3,

a slight amount of free movement of the lever is permissible between itsfully retracted position and that in which it engages the maximum sizeof pipe which the tong is intended to grip in each latching position, Itwill be understood that the lever is freely swingable relative to thetong head as a unit.

of the-tong, and: tocause the jaws toxautomati- 7 of simple constructionconsisting of relatively few parts. In spite of its simplicity it isadaptable to a wide range of pipe sizes, and may be quickly andeasily'tapplied to and removed from the pipe.

It will lee-understood that theinvention is not limited to the detailsof the embodimen't-disclosedherein', but may be modified in variousrespectswithout departing-from the spirit of the invention.:Forxexample; while I have shown-two latching steps, it is within thescope of themvention to. provide a different number as; for instance,three steps arranged to dispose the pipe-contactingsurfaces of the jawsat angles .v of 50, 60 and '70", respectively, with respect toeach-other. Such anarrangement would have the advantage of reducingtheextentof angular movement of the lever since a narrower range of pipe;sizes would be accommodated by each latching position. Othermodifications within the ,s'copeof the invention will occur to thoseskilled in this. art.

*Iclaim: I

1. In a pipe tong adapted to grip pipe of different diameters, thecombination of: an operating handle; a first jaw member pivotallyconnected to the handle adjacent one end thereof; a latch member, andmeans pivotally connecting the The jaw u is also may swingable about thepivot pin I 2, but its outward movement is limited by engagement of astop shoulder 42 with the outer surface of the jaw l0, as shown" mostclearly in Fig. 1. It will be observed that when same to the pivotallyconnected end of the first jaw member, the first jaw member andlatchmember defining a pipe-receiving recess having a pipe passageway at oneside thereof; a second jaw member pivotally connected to the free end ofthe first jaw member and being of a length to bridge said pipepassageway and being swin able about its pivotal axis into engagementwith the free end of the latch member to close said the jaw H is movedto its extreme open position it provides, in conjunction with the freeouter end of the latch [8, a flared channel for guiding the pipe intothe pipe opening.

When the pipe ha been inserted in the opening between the jaws, the jawll may be swung to closed position manually, if desired. However, Iprefer to provide means for causing the jaw to be closed automaticallyby the movement of the pipe into the opening. For this purpose, aclosing finger 44 is formed on the jaw in a position to extend partiallyacross the opening in the, path of the inwardly moving pipe. Thus, asthepipe moves into the opening it engages the finger and swings the jawclosed behind it. The finger moves into a recess 45 formed in the jawl0. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the-clearance between the finger and thepipe when the jaw is closed varies with different sizes of pipe,,andhence the finger will not in all instances positively close the jaw intolatching position. However, the momentum of the jaw will be such as tocause it to cam the latch I8 in a counterclockwise direction against theaction of the spring, and the latch will then snap into latchingposition.

It will be observed that in opening and closing the jaws the relativelylarge and heavy jaw I0 does not move relative to the lever l3, and theonly appreciable shifting of mass is that involved in the pivotalmovement of the relativelysmall jaw I l. Inasmuch as the latter jaw isshort, its center of gravity moves through an arc of short radius, and,since the weight of the jaw constitutes only a small proportion of thetotal suspassageway; the latch member, and the second jaw member havingcooperating latching surfaces thereon selectively engageable toreleasably secure said jaw members in any one of a plurality ofangularly related positions to selectively define different sizedpipe-receiving recesses; and cam. means on said handle projecting intosaid pipe-receiving recess and movable into gripping engagement with apipe disposed in said recess. 2. In a pipe tong adapted to grip pipe ofdifferent diameters, the combinationof: an operating handle; a first jawpivotally connected to the handle adjacent one end thereof; a latchmember pivotally connected at one end to said first jaw onan aXiscoinciding with the axis of pivotal connection of said handle and firstjaw; spring means yieldably maintaining said first jaw and said latchmember in fixed relative positions deotally connected to theother end ofsaid first fining a pipe-receiving recess having a pipe passageway atoneside thereof; a second jaw pivjawand being of a length to bridge saidpassageway and being swingable about its pivotal axis into engagementwith the free end of said latch member to close said passageway;operating latching surfaces on said latch member and'said second jaw forreleasably securing said jaws in any one of a plurality of angularlyrelated positions; and cam means on said handle movable, upon'pivotalmovement of said handle in one direction, into gripping engagement withpended weight, this movement has no appreciable effect on the balance ofthe tong as a whole.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that I'have provided a tong any one of a plurality of pipes of differentdiameters received in said recess in any one of said angularly relatedpositions of said jaws.

3. A pipe tong as set forth in claim 2, in which said second jawincludes closing means projecting intosaid pipe passageway when said jawis in open position, said closing means being engageable by a pipeentering said passageway to ceiving recess therebetween and-thefree-ends thereof being spaced apart, when said last' named stop meansare in engagement, .to provide apipe passageway leading to said recess;a second jaw member, of a length to bridge said passageway, pivotallyconnected at one end to the free end of said first jaw member andswingable about its pivotalconnection into engagement with said latchmember; said secondjaw member and latch member having one of a pluralityof stepped latching surfaces and the otheraclatching surface adapted.toselectively engage any one of said stepped latching surfaces tosecure said jaw members in any one of a plurality of angularly relatedpositions; and cam means on said operating lever movable into saidrecess, on swinging movement of said lever, to engagepipe ofdiiferent'diameters selectively :disposed (in said pipe recess.

5. A'pipe tong as set forth in claim 4, and including stop means on saidfirst jaw member engaging said lever to limit the relative pivotalmovement therebetween in one direction, said pipe passageway beingdisposed on the opposite side of said pipe-receiving recess andsubstantially in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said lever-whensaid last-named stop means are in engagement, whereby said tong may beapplied to a pipe by bodily movement thereof in a directionsubstantially parallel to the'longitudinal axis of said lever.

ALLEN E. HAMBLY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. I Patent No. 2,529,196. September lL 191g.ALLEN- E. HAMBLY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in-the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows; Page 14.,first column, line 22, claim 1.1., strike out the word "of" after "one";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correctiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 2nd day of November, A. D.- 19% Henry VanArsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents

